2006-07-08 05:44:38 · 7 answers · asked by EC2talk2 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
it does. it rotates with the same period it revolves around the earth.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_locking
2006-07-08 05:47:36 · answer #1 · answered by warm soapy water 5 · 4⤊ 0⤋
The moon rotates once every 28 days. That is why the same side of the moon faces the earth.
2006-07-08 05:54:59 · answer #2 · answered by kayef57 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The moon does have a rotation movement, but over time due to the force of gravity it has slowed to the point it has matched the speed of its revolutions around earth.
2006-07-08 05:49:29 · answer #3 · answered by Texan Pete 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It does! It's just at the right speed that the same side of the moon is always facing us. It it wasn't rotating as it went around us, it would look as though it was! Try it with two tennis balls.
2006-07-08 05:47:48 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It does, we do not observe it because the period of rotation of the moon about its own axis is equal to its period of revolution around the Earth.
2006-07-08 05:47:35 · answer #5 · answered by ag_iitkgp 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it does.. it rotates one time every 28 days.. the same time it takes it to go around the earth.. that is why it always has the same side facing us.
2006-07-08 05:47:04 · answer #6 · answered by ♥Tom♥ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because the moon lies within the gravitational plane of the earth...tom science
2006-07-08 06:01:09 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋